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Teo Posted 18 years ago
Grammar
Well I never did![the ritual exclamation of astonishemnt]
1 b 01 i 00 Well I never did! 02 i 02 b 02 br
02 br
00 What does the above sentence mean? A grammar book says it is the ritual exclamation of astonishemnt. In what context can we use the above sentence? 0-
02 br
00 What does the above sentence mean? A grammar book says it is the ritual exclamation of astonishemnt. In what context can we use the above sentence? 0-
Top answer
0 I don't hear that sentence. 02 i 00 It, too, is rather old-fashioned. 02 i 00 and it is used in the same situtations where you would say the full sentence, for example if you saw someone running naked through the mall or if, while shopping, you saw a child of seven slap his mother's face.
- 0 I don't hear that sentence.
- 02 i 00 It, too, is rather old-fashioned.
- 02 i 00 and it is used in the same situtations where you would say the full sentence, for example if you saw someone running naked through the mall or if, while shopping, you saw a child of seven slap his mother's face.
- (These are situations which elicit astonishment in the observer.
- ) 02 br 00 CJ 0-
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4 Answers
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0 I don't hear that sentence. It sounds old-fashioned. 02 br
00 I have heard 01 i 00 Well, I never! 02 i 00 It, too, is rather old-fashioned. 02 br
00 It's a shortened form of 01 i 00 Well, I have never heard (or seen) anything like that! 02 i 00 and it is used in the same situtations where you would say the full sentence, for example if yo
00 I have heard 01 i 00 Well, I never! 02 i 00 It, too, is rather old-fashioned. 02 br
00 It's a shortened form of 01 i 00 Well, I have never heard (or seen) anything like that! 02 i 00 and it is used in the same situtations where you would say the full sentence, for example if yo
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0 I've never heard "Well, I never did!" used as any sort of standard expression either. Wiktionary.com refers to this expression as "dated" and seems to suggest that the expression was in use circa 1939. However, I was born quite a few years after that time. I guess CJ and I must be just a couple of spring chickens -- far too young to have heard such ancient language. 05 0 010id 4
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01 cite 10 Yankee 12 cite 10 a couple of spring chickens 12 blockquote10 Yup. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it. (Well, OK. Late spring, early summerish!) 02 br
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Same as "well I never!" - an expression of surprise.
Archaic in American English, more of a British-ism today.
Example use: http://scarygoround.com/?date=20100128
Archaic in American English, more of a British-ism today.
Example use: http://scarygoround.com/?date=20100128
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